“Coming on the heels of “The Jimmy Jab Games”, “Halloween II” feels like a retread. Two episodes in a row, we’ve seen the Nine-Nine crew shut down the entire precinct in favor of hijinks and shenanigans. Outside of assembling the safety pumpkins, no police work gets done, unless you count the flashback sequence in which … Continue reading
“Action cinema tends to elect its bogeymen based on current world events. In True Lies, America fought against Palestinian terrorists. In 2008, John Rambo brought down a brutal Burmese military regime almost singlehandedly. Most recently, The November Man and Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit took on Russian oligarchs and generals. But there’s a more widespread trend … Continue reading
“In The Book of Life, Mexican animator Jorge Gutierrez guides his viewers on a 3D visual tour through the customs of Dia de los Muertos, his country’s holiday of remembrance. It’s a colorful film that’s shaped as much by Gutierrez’s aesthetics as it is by his inclusive approach; the film invites uninitiated members of its … Continue reading
“You may be inclined to make snap judgments about Dear White People’s intentions based on the title alone. Though such snap judgments are obviously the film’s actual intent—a little egging-on never hurt anyone—it has no desire to condemn its viewers, white or not. Instead, Dear White People wants to upset you: to turn your judgments … Continue reading
“From its first frames, Pride opens itself wide to scrutiny: this is based on a true story. We’re used to this, of course. We turn to the cinema for escape, but by invoking REALITY the so-called “true story” breaks the illusion we’ve sought, and in turn, we feel it’s our obligation to call the veracity … Continue reading
“Jorge R. Gutierrez wants to teach people about his heritage. He also wants to make colorful, energetic animated films to dazzle a wide audience. With The Book of Life, Gutierrez manages to scratch both itches at once. It’s his first credit as a director and his sixth as an animator; his comfort with the medium … Continue reading
“World War II spanned six continents, lasted as many years, and involved roughly 100 million participants. Pardon the quick and dirty history lesson, but an appreciation of scale is needed to understand why people continue to write books and make movies about The Big One nearly seven decades after the fact. The conflict covered so … Continue reading
“Last week, Brooklyn Nine-Nine went out of its way to frame its titular precinct as a teeming breeding ground for friendship. This week, “The Jimmy Jab Games” reminds us that not everyone in the Nine-Nine is so lucky, with a subplot revolving around Boyle, Hitchcock, and unexpected evidence of the former’s steamy affair with Gina. … Continue reading
“One thing should be made clear about Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day up front: it’s lying to you. Yes, this is a movie about Alexander, and yes, this is a movie about a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. But in Miguel Arteta’s screen adaptation of Judith Viorst’s delightfully … Continue reading
“How do you give Joe Lo Truglio cornrows without according the entire cast ofBrooklyn Nine-Nine ample opportunity for joint ridicule? If the entire squad can spend a protracted opening segment making fun of the Sarge for making the grown-up choice to get a vasectomy, then why can’t they also get together to squeeze off a … Continue reading
“Stealing wads of pelf from a dead man seems like a victimless crime, unless you’re a character in a gangster yarn. Then, you’re just plain old taking your life into your hands. We’re talking about what’s arguably the most amoral genre of all time, a mode of storytelling that thrives on shades of grey (and … Continue reading
“Here’s a lesson in basic box office science: horror movies make money. When horror movies make money, they tend to beget horror movie sequels and prequels, hence the mercifully defunct Sawseries’ long-overstayed welcome. So the rare horror movie that’s both well-made and self-contained should be cherished. There’s something to be said for horror that stands … Continue reading
A Constant Visual Feast 